On Sunday, May 9 at D.A.R. Constitution Hall, Annetta Benjamin will graduate summa cum laude from Marymount University with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. Benjamin, a Lorton resident, not only reached the height of academic success during her years at Marymount, she excelled on the basketball court. For the 2003-04 season, she led the MU women Saints in scoring, rebounding, and steals. She co-captained the team to the Capital Athletic Conference Championship and to the NCAA Division III play-offs, where the Saints advanced to the Elite Eight. Along with her basketball accolades, Benjamin will graduate with a 3.9 cumulative grade point average.

Benjamin transferred to MU in her sophomore year after playing summer league basketball with other Marymount team members and after meeting MU Coach Bill Finney. "I was introduced to Coach Finney and the next thing I knew I was signing papers. Plus, I was aware that Marymount has a great psychology program," says Benjamin. Her first season was also her first experience in an NCAA program. Benjamin's game quickly matured, and she started both her junior and senior years. Coach Finney calls her the "best defensive player I've had the opportunity to coach—she loves the game and has the ability to will our team to win in big games with her sheer determination."

That determination was no less evident in her academic pursuits. Benjamin notes that both her family and Coach Finney emphasized "academics first," and her competitive nature led her "to feed off A's, so that once I earned one, I wanted more." The reward for good grades has changed since grade school. "As a child, I was given money for earning A's and B's," explains Benjamin, "but my parents now say that my tuition is my reward; the opportunity to learn is my reward. Her long-term goal is to earn a master's degree in Pastoral Counseling.

Even with little spare time between school and basketball, Benjamin sought ways to reach out and bring people together on campus and in the community. She led an interfaith bible study group that met weekly, and she has spoken frequently to elementary and high school groups, encouraging the young people to "dream big" and pursue their goals. After graduation, Benjamin will work at the Arlington YMCA and will also mentor adolescents at the Virginia Home-Based Counseling Service in Manassas, Virginia. She is also pursuing the possibility of playing professional basketball overseas.

Benjamin's impressive accomplishments include being a member of the Saints' Final 4 team in 2000 and garnering Marymount basketball career statistics of 926 points, 668 rebounds, and 56 blocks in just 3 years. This past year she was named a Capital Athletic Conference Scholar Athlete and is a member of the All-District Verizon Academic All-American First Team, the All Capital Athletic Conference First Team, and the D3Hoops All American Second Team. She was also a Kodak All American Finalist. An honor student, she is a member of the Delta Epsilon National Honor Society, and the Psi Chi Psychology Honor Society. In addition to being on Marymount's Dean's List, Benjamin is currently a semi-finalist for the National Dean's List Awards which provide scholarship funds for graduate school. She has also been selected for inclusion in Who's Who Among Students in American Colleges and Universities.

Reflecting on her goals, Benjamin says, "I hope to apply my competitive focus for basketball to the real world. As a member of the MU Saints, we worked together to support each other and reach our goal. As a counselor, I hope to apply that same concept of a "team effort." I want to work together with people, to help them work through their problems and achieve their dreams."

CONTACT INFORMATION: For an interview with Annetta Benjamin, call her at (703) 599-1852.

For more information contact:
Denise Alexander
(703) 284-1648